Baselworld 2017 Preview: The Watches We're Most Excited For

From elegant and dressy timepieces to ruggedly handsome sports watches

It’s a week till the world’s biggest watch exhibition, and since waiting simply isn’t one of our strong suits, here’s a sneak peek at some of the timepieces that will debut at Baselworld from March 23 to 30.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon

Photo: Courtesy of Bulgari

Not quite content holding the world record for the thinnest tourbillon, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon has been reduced to its bare bones in a skeletonised version of the timepiece. Its 253-part movement measures a miniscule 32.60mm-wide and 1.95mm-thick. What’s more, the timepiece guarantees an astounding 62 hours of power reserve.

Dior V111 Grand Bal Plissé Ruban

Photo: Courtesy of Dior

With a generous helping of white diamonds, a dash of pink and a metallic finish, the new 36mm Dior V111 Grand Bal Plissé Ruban is delicate as it is edgy. Every bit a Dior piece, the rotor has been set with yellow gold plates and diamonds to make it look like a pleated petticoat interlaced with a silky ribbon.

Breguet Rose Gold Tradition Dame

Photo: Courtesy of Breguet

Breguet adds a rose gold version to its exceptional Tradition Dame collection this year. With its gear trains, bridges and barrel in full view, the watch’s movement is aesthetic as it is functional. Overlapping with its rose-engraved barrel at 12 o’clock is a mother-of-pearl dial adorned with clou de Paris engraving, and on its bezel 68 brilliant-cut diamonds.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Tourbillon Mother-of-Pearl

Photo: Courtesy of Jaquet Droz

Mother-of-pearl is introduced to Jaquet Droz’s Grand Seconde collection, an iconic line for the brand inspired by the pocket watch created by its founder Pierre Jaquet Droz in 1784. The Grande Seconde Tourbillon Mother-of-Pearl timepiece comes with a 39mm red gold case set with diamonds.

Longines Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary 1957-2017

Photo: Courtesy of Longines

Longines has created a limited edition anniversary piece of the Flagship watch to mark the model’s 60th year. Brand ambassador Kate Winslet handpicked the face of the watch, which was inspired by a vintage piece displayed at the watchmaker’s Saint-Imier headquarters. Available in steel, yellow gold or rose gold, this timeless watch remains a firm favourite among Longines' clients.

Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton Watch

Photo: Courtesy of Chanel

After presenting the Monsieur de Chanel last year, which houses Chanel's first manufacture movement, the Maison decides to put its second in-house calibre in a stunning women’s watch—the Première Camélia Skeleton. Sophisticated at 28.5 x 37mm, the Première is also quite the attention-grabber with a bezel set with 42 baguette-cut and 52 brilliant-cut diamonds, while its skeletonised dial features 246 brilliant-cut diamonds.

Corum Golden Bridge Rectangle

Photo: Courtesy of Corum

Corum presents a more refined and design-oriented version of its classic Golden Bridge, where the see-through dial and movement have been given a more geometric, Art-Deco vibe. Complementing the case and movement are elaborate gold microstructures in the form of Roman numerals that are suspended and sandwiched between Corum’s signature bridge movement.

Harry Winston Avenue Classic Cherry Blossom

Photo: Courtesy of Harry Winston

Using brilliant-cut diamonds and pink sapphires, Harry Winston captures the ephemeral beauty of the cherry blossom tree on a mother-of-pearl dial of its new Avenue Classic Cherry Blossom timepiece. This charming scene is framed by a diamond-set case whose shape is patterned after the façade of the brand’s historic Fifth Avenue flagship salon in New York.

Hermès Cape Cod

Photo: Courtesy of Hermès

Hermès’ Cape Cod collection has been made more vibrant with new dial and leather strap colours. This year, its lacquered dials come in subtly graded shades of red and brown, creating reflections that shimmer delicately across the surface. Straps are available in indigo blue, graphite matte or black matte alligator leather featuring the Maison's famous saddle stitching. At the heart is the manufactured Hermès H1912 movement.

Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 Full Black Matte Ceramic

Photo: Courtesy of Tag Heuer

The rebellious member of the Tag Heuer family has arrived. Going fully black, skeletonised, completely ceramic (save for the movement), and given a more modern design overall, this year’s version of the Carrera Heuer-01 is unlike any of its brethren. At the heart of this piece, however, is the same powerhouse movement—the TAG calibre 01, a self-winding chronograph with a 50-hour power reserve.

Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph

Photo: Courtesy of Fabergé

The Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph picks up from the Visionnaire DTZ, where the indications are displayed centrally, with concentric counters. It places the hour and minute hands along the circumference of the dial, and the complication in the centre. As a result, the time is very easy to read. Who says complications always need to be complicated?

Omega Speedmaster 38mm

Photo: Courtesy of Omega

There’s a new member to Omega’s much-loved Speedmaster collection, and it’s a looker. A great addition to its traditionally sporty line, the new Speedmaster 38mm is more refined and kept rather small at 38mm, and given a nice cappuccino shade. Its case is made from a combination of stainless steel and 18K Sedna gold, complemented by a diamond-paved bezel with a tachymeter scale, and giving it a nice finish, a taupe leather strap.

Zenith Pilot Extra Special Chronograph

Photo: Courtesy of Zenith

The aesthetics of Zenith’s Pilot Extra Special Chronograph harken back to the golden age of aviation, with its aged bronze case, wide ratcheted crown, sandblasted black dial, oversized numerals in Superluminova, and khaki green oily nubuck leather strap. Driving this retro timepiece is the El Primero 4069 automatic movement, which promises an impressive 50 hours of power reserve.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe

Photo: Courtesy of Blancpain

Blancpain introduces a 38mm version of its vintage-inspired Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, which was first presented in 2013 to mark the 60th-anniversary Fifty Fathoms dive watch. This year’s three-hands version comes in “abyss blue”—its steel bezel features a blue ceramic insert and its hour markers in blue Liquidmetal. Designed to accompany you on those deep dives, the piece is water resistant to 300 metres.

Chopard Happy Ocean

Photo: Courtesy of Chopard

Chopard enriches its wildly successful Happy Sports Collection with the Happy Ocean, a sporty but elegant watch that also happens to be a legitimate dive watch water resistant to 300 metres. Its 40mm steel case is fitted with a unidirectional two-toned rotating bezel of either blue and turquoise or blue and raspberry—its hues inspired by the skies and corals—complementing the dial’s deep blue tone.

Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT

Photo: Courtesy of Hublot

Thanks to the re-engineered Unico movement that now integrates a GMT function, reading the home and second time zone has been made even simpler with the Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT. The commanding piece comes with a 45mm case, but is light on the wrist as it’s made in either titanium or carbon fibre. Giving the watch a nice finish is its ribbed black and blue rubber strap.

Breitling Colt Skyracer

Photo: Courtesy of Breitling

Once more, Breitling has the full attention of true-blue aviators or those into extreme sports. Enter the Colt Skyracer, a tough timepiece that features the brand’s new Breitlight carbon case material that promises comfort, durability and lightness, and a thermo-compensated Superquartz movement that guarantees extreme accuracy, boasting a 10-second deviation per year versus up to 15 seconds per month for a standard quartz movement.